Archive for January, 2010

Afghanistan and Yemen Take Centre Stage: What about Northern Ireland?

It's Time To Focus Closer to Home

 

This week the British government hosted two major international conferences; one focusing on Yemen, the other Afghanistan.  That both nations have problems worth discussing goes without saying.  But why did these talks take place in London?

One would assume that the British public or at the very least, British industry had something to gain from such hospitality. A lucrative mining contract to exploit Afghanistan’s copper deposits perhaps?  No wait – China already grabbed that deal.   A reduction in the immediate threat to our shores?  Given that the UK terror threat was raised from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’ ahead of the summits, the answer to that would have to be a resounding no.  It seems to me that the only people who saw an advantage in inviting the world to London this week were Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other political elites who insist on maintaining the pretence that Britain is a superpower.             Continue reading ‘Afghanistan and Yemen Take Centre Stage: What about Northern Ireland?’

Attack On Kabul: An Ominous Sign

ANP Checkpoint Outside Kabul

Coalition commanders were full of praise for Afghanistan’s security forces after Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers assaulted buildings in the heart of Kabul Monday.  General Stanley McChrystal, the head of NATO and US forces in Afghanistan, said the Afghan national forces should be ‘commended’ for dealing ‘effectively’ with the attack. US Brigadier General Anne Macdonald claimed the Afghan forces responded ‘very well’ while an ISAF spokesperson gushed that they had ‘rapidly’ seized the initiative.

            Don’t be blinded by the spin.  Effective security is not about responding to an attack; it’s about being proactive and preventing one from happening in the first place.    Continue reading ‘Attack On Kabul: An Ominous Sign’

The Tyranny of Political Correctness

The extremist group Islam4UK has finally been banned under anti-terrorism laws.  While I’m elated that it is now a criminal offence to belong to the organization that seeks to turn Britain into an Islamic state and introduce Sharia law, the question must be asked: why didn’t the government act sooner? Continue reading ‘The Tyranny of Political Correctness’

Afghanistan: Don’t Let Radicals Hijack the Debate

Stormy Afghanistan

A controversial Islamic group, Islam4UK, reportedly said it would abandon its abhorrent plan to demonstrate in Wootton Bassett if Prime Minister Gordon Brown or his ministers agree to debate the war on Afghanistan with them.  How disgraceful it has come to this. The need for our political leaders to thoughtfully and fearlessly debate UK policy on Afghanistan has been apparent for some time, but it’s taken a shameless publicity stunt by a group which seeks to subvert the very values which make this country great to focus attention on the issue. Continue reading ‘Afghanistan: Don’t Let Radicals Hijack the Debate’



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